Cigar knife



Dec. 30, 1930. F. w. SALMA'R 1,787,396

CIGAR KNIFE Filed uarcn e, "192e iff Patented nee. 3e, reso PATENT 'ri-"ics FRANK W'. SALMAR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS creAn Application led March 6,

vdispose the novel knife that it is always in the hand of the operator, and need not be laid down and picked up each time a wra'l per is laid out for cutting.

Another object of the invention is to construct the novel knife to support itself on one of the fingers ofthe operator.

A final, but nevertheless important object of the invention is to design the novel implement in one simplestructure, which is devoid of delicate or complicated parts, and may he produced at low cost.

lrvllith the above objects in view and any others that may suggest themselves in the specification and claim to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be gained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the novel knife, showing the manner of its use;

2 is an elevation of the knife;

Fig. 3 is a plan view; and

Fig. l is a. perspective view of a modification.

In the art of making' cigars by hand, the custom is to cut the wrappers to the proper shape by the use of a flat knife, comprising a blade of sheet metal of substantially elliptical form and with pointed ends, this knife being laid down on the table each time a wrapper is spread out and straightened in readiness to be out or shaped. It may be imagined that the frequent act of depositing and again picking` up the knife for each cutting operation when the work extends into a. number of hours, becomes exceedingly tiresome to the operator and impairs his composure and efficiency. Furthermore, the conventional knife being` a flat blade, it is not always readily picked up due to its closeness to the table surface, so that many moments time are lost in the edort to pick up the knife with rapidity as the work progresses,- `Also,

KNIFE 1928. Serial No. 259,555.

the conventional knife is more or less wastel ful, since it requires a long and lgraceful sweep to cut the wrapper with the proper curvature, and it is hardly possible under this condition to gauge the size of the wrapf5 per to the proper and economical extent, so that with the sweep of t Le knife the wrapper is frequently out considerably larger than is actually required, resulting in a waste of material. l produce' a knife which eliminates the above deficiencies and facilitates speed, comfort and eiiiciency in the cutting operation.

Referringspecifically to the drawing', it will be noted that the knife l0 is con'iposed of a sector-shaped blade, which is, of course, of a goed grade of steel and sharpened along the curved edge. T he upper or narrow part of the knife receives by riveting or welding' a spring` clin ll wl ose ends are fiared at 1Q in an outward direction to render them smooth on the inside. These ends are also cut away from the bottom of the cli i as indicated at 13, so as not to form an obs ruction at that site.

`When the novel knife is to be placed in use, the middle finger of thehand is inserted into the clip as indicated in Figure l, the knife being on the inside of the hand. As the clip is of spring metal, it will hold to the finger and securely attach the knife thereto. The other fingers and the thumb are entirely free, and may be used with the fingers of the other hand to take Aup the next wrapper and spread the .fan'io into suitable shape to be out. rlhe knife is then drawn across the wrapper in the desired direction, the rut being moet er"':ely visible duc lo the small size of thc knife, so that the latter may be drawn more accurately to the proper and economical. size of the proouct, so that material is not wasted. It will be noted that the novel knife need not be removed or laid down for the purpose of taking up the next wrapper, as the balance of the fingers and the other hand may be used with facility, as explained; yet, the knife is instantly ready and firm w ien the next cut is to be made.

ln the modification of Figure 4, a knife of greater length has been shown, although It has therefore been my intention to the mattei' of length Varies With the size ofV thee/rapper and out7V and is therefore not an essential consideration;y the knife performs the function in the same manner arid its length may be varied .Without departingV from its principle. However, 1n this 1n stance the greaterirlength of the knife permits' the clip to be mounted on the ring i'inger, so that in case one desires to also roll the wrapper on .the cigar latter h e'has out Vthe same, he may With facility siting the knife past the middle and index ii1igers, or in the direct-ion indicated by the arrow to locate 'the saine in extended position on theloutside ofthe hand. The knife thus employs but the ring iingerto support it in this position., leaving vthe thumb and the balance of the lingers tree to engagein the rollin-g operation. `'Vhen the next Wrapper is :taken ,up for the cutting operatioinit is Van easy matter to swing the'lgnife back to the inside of the hand as shown in Figure il, to the proper cutting` position.

lt will be seen that the novel cigar knife is a very handy article "for vthe purpose in- Yten'ded. Beiiig'on the hand, it is always ready `for vuse Withoutia'ny' adjustment by the other hand to hold-it in place. The tinie usually Wasted in depositing and picking up theknife andthe attention Vrequired for this purpose are eliminated in the presentcase,

and the operator can acquire a greater speed in e shorttiine, keep his composure due to the uniformity ofthe operations, observe econoiny in the cutting Yof the Wrappers, and at'- tain a marked degree of eciency onY general lines. Y y v i `lVhihle l have illustrated and described the invention in the preferred ltorni, it Will be evident that the saine is capable of many 'minor changes andrelinenients and itis my 'intent-ion to cla-iirrsuch changes and refinements as coming' Witliin'the spirit and 'scope Y of the appended claim.

A cigar knife comprising a .blade having an arcuate cuttingedgeV all points of said edge lyingiii the sanieplane, a spring linger engaging clip s'eeuredto the face of the blade l extending upwardly therefrom, said clip Fing outWardlyf-ared opening whereby said blade Will transversely underlie several h -gers of hand to provide a bearing supip is engaged byV port therefor when said cl `ene of the lin-'gers ofthe hand.l

In testimony whereof lvaliix iny signature.

l :FRANK `W. SAlfil/IAB.. 

